The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-05-06

tfrom onr regular correspondent
AsuIXGToN, May .. 1SS

The Cabinet officers are enthusiastic in
praise Of their southern trip 10 attend the
unwilling Of the Calhoun statue. The
orator OF the occasion. Secretary Lamar,
has been afflicted with ncuralgic ailments
since his return. but he is none the less
charmed with the centre of earthquakes
and its people To some of the party
Charleston was an old acquaintance, but
with the Postmaster General, Secretary of
the Treasury. and Senator Voorhees, it was
first visit and they Tell fairly in love with
the delicious atmosphere, royal hospitality
and fine people of the cid city. Mr.. Villas
remarked that lac was not prepared to find
very superior people in that aristocratie
old southern stronghold but that he was
quite surprised to find such general high
tone prevailing among large portion of
the population.
Equally delighted with the National
Capital viii be the thousands of visitors
who will flock here during the present
month. OF course these crowds Of stran-
gers from every part Of the United States
were heaped in profusion on the dis
tinguished Charleston guests. They will
have to look out sharply for their own
breakfasts and lunches and dinners and
beds. But they will see the most beautiful
city in the world in the month of flowers,
and they can have glorious time in many
ways, for Washington is more than "a
thing of beauty" Il is by far the most in
teresting city in America, as we'll.
It is to be regretted that the elevator in
the Washington Monument will hot be in
active operation during the National Drill,
when so many sight-seers will be in the
city. But instead of being lifted rapidly
through the shaft they will be compelled
to tramp up and down five hundred feet Of
iron stairway by the light Of candles held
by themselves. The arrangements are
complete for lighting the interior Of the
monument with seyenty-five incandescent
electric lights with which the effect is
very striking. The electric lighting plant
was provided for by the appropriation for
completing the monument rs was also the
elevator, but there is need Of more Con-
gressonal legislation and another appro-
priation before either can be put into re-
gular operation
The monument was lighted at its dedica-
ton, but few persons knew it, as but few
entered the monument on that occasion.
Since then it has only been lighted for
testing purposes. and once when in honor
OF Mrs Cleveland, who made trip to
the top. The lights are at the stairway
landings. and are fastened to brackets ex-
tending from the iron framework in the
center of the shalt The effect is very
striking as one looks up the shaft from the
bottom and sees these brilliant lights on
alternate sides, extending all the way to
the top, and brilliantly illuminating the
entire interior of the structure.
Workmen have placed the memorial
stones in the panels prepared for them in
the interior of the moDu nent, all The way
up. and the inscriptions on them show
with perfect distinctneSS in the electric
lights. When some Of the cement was
taken out in fitting in some OF these stones
it was found to be as solid as the marble
surrounding il. Curiosity seekers think
they ought not leave Washington without
having been to the top Of the highest struct-
urc in the world built by the hands of man.
and although the past winter was unusual
ly inclement and unsuitable for such an
excursion, about two thousand people
trudged up the winding stairway to its
dizzy height during each month.
They have been very busy at the Nation
al Museum during the week trying to get
the Grant relics placed on exhibition
before the National Drill begins. The
task is nearly completed and the cases al
ready exhibited have attracted much
notice. Five eases will contain the whole
collection except the paintings and large
objects which cannot be put into cases.
Many Of these articles are souvenirs Of
Gen. Grant 5 "trip around the world. There
is a splendid collection of old Japanese
coins of huge sized valued at So, 600 There
are swords. gold headed canes, caskets,
! iithttilibios NV hpptHs SliNtI lidlt anu
sparkling gems which vie with each other
to attract the eye. There are invitation
cards, menu cards, reminders Of entertain
ments given in his honor, embossed on
gold plates. One invitation to masked
bali given at san Francisco, upon Gen.
Grants arrival in that city. on his return
from his famous tour, is engraved on solid
gold, and was enclosed in a silver envelope
with the address engraved upon it, In the
right hand corner is Il two cent stamp and
in the left, the usual "if not delivered in
ten days, return to- etc. There is cask
ct carved from the wood of Shakespeare's
mulberry tree, ana many other articles
that have a value by association.
WESTON.
y bill introduced at the last session and
approved by Gov. Green exempts soldiers
from the payment Of school poll tax
Governor Grecn has signed the bill pro-
viding that all goods manufactured in the
State Prison shall be labelled as coming
| from that institution